Newspaper Page Text
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Sacking and Burming of Colmbia.
MALICIOUS DIABOLISM OF TIIB YAN
KEE SOLDIERS.
The correspondent of the Cenetitutionalist
thus speaks of
TUB BACXINO.
Immediately after the irder to “ stack arms,*’
the Yankees showered through the streets.
They left no tenement uuvisited; they invaded
the sanctity of ladies’ chambers; they robbed
indiscriminately; they were rude, savage and
boisterous. “What do you think of the Yan
kees now ?” was their common expression.
Gentlemen were met on the sidewalk, “ What
is the time of day ?” is the first. query, and
then a snatch at the gold chronometer. This
continued for hours, neither age, or sex, or
color, being respected. Jewelry was taken,
ladies’ clothing stolen or destroyed ; plate made
way with; line liquors guzzled; provisions
paured into the street—everything done, in
fact, that could terrify and dishea ten the
people. No one was safe from these encroach
ments. According to Sherman's order, “thirty
six hours’’ was granted to pillagers, and right,
weil did t ey a*ail themselves of the privilege.
TUB BURNING.
Outing Fri ley several tires occurred, which
were speedily extinguished, the cotton iu tho
streets being also consumed. But afterwards,
when attempts were made to stay the progress
of the flames, the hose were cut, and the en
gines rendered powerless. It was not appa
rent. however, that the euemy intended de
stroying the city by lire until late :u the after
noon, when they burned the residences of lion.
George A. TrenhoJm, Secretary of the Treasu
ry, Gen. Wade Hampton and William Wallace.
After nightfall fires broke out iu various sec
tions of the city, and soon the flames were seen
ascending from all quarters. To escape with
property was a vain attempt. Wherever oae
went, the angry element followed. All was
chaos and confusion. Brerything given
up to the great devottrer, and no one seemed
concerned at out, saving aught but himself and
household. The wind blew furiously, and the
mad, lurid flames lashed each other from street
to street, the tumult of the conflagration sound
ing as the deep abysmal roar of the ocoan upon
a much fretted iron-girt coast.
Thus the greater part »f the city fell a prey
to the fire—thus were robbed and beggared
hundreds aud thousand* —thus were happy
famiJioa reduced by «• sudden blow to the or
phanage of want and poverty, aud thus a .sight.-
y city became a wa.-to of smouldering ruins.
Where tlie lire originated, if would be impos
sible to state. It burst forth with violence in
ail sections at the same time. Yankee soldiers
with hand grenades, balls of phosphorus aud
other combustibles, visited all parts of the
place and tired it indiscriminately. Such wicked,
malicious exhibitions of diabolism were never
before witnessed on this continent. Attilia, in
truth, was never so wanton. Nor were the
hordes of Goths so ruthless as the Illinoisians
and low.uts and Ohioinns of Logan.
•>- o -»•
Sir Walter Scott and Wilb eb force — In
reading, a few evenings since, says Sir Walter,
the diary of the great and good William Wil
berforce, we were struck with the following
passage in reference to the Waverley novels
(which were just then in course of publica
tion) : “ I am always sorry that, they should
have so little moral or religious object. They
remind me of a giant spending his strength
in cracking nuts. I would rather go to render
up my account at the last day, carrying up with
me ‘The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain,' than
bearing the load of nil these volumes, full as
they are of genius.”
•
The following should be read by every man
who lias neglected to take the paper published
in liis own place, or the one nearest to him :
“Breathes tliere a man with soui so dead—
who never to himself hath said—l will my
county paper take—both for my own and fami
ly’s sake ? If such there be, lent him repent—
and have ihe paper to him sent—and if he’d
pass a happy winter—he in advance should pay
the printer.”
The San Antonio Herald says the French, ou
arriving at Matamoras, complimented the Con
federate flag with a hearty salute, while they
passed by the Yankee flag in silent contempt.
Our flag is reported to lie waving over stores, i
taverns and saloons, all over the city of Mala-
moras.
-IS*
There is no affliction so small but we should !
sink under it if God upheld us not ; and there I
is no sin so great but we should commit it if
God restrained us not.
■ Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions. !
Dr.-Dodd.
THE ARMY & NAVY HERALD.
Execution of Capt. John Y. Be«ll.
The execution of Captain John Y. Beall, is
described at length by the New York LI-raid.
It says:
The execution of Captain John T. Beall, the
Kebel Spy, took place, with imposing ooremo
nies, at Governor’s Island, in the presence of
several hundred spectators. The condemned
was unusually firm up to the last moment, aud
seemed to have an utter contempt for the fear
ful punishment that was meted out to him. The
prisoner was attended in his last moments by
the liev. Dr. Weston, of St. John's Episcopal
Church, at whose hands he received the sacra
ment of the holy communion, according to the
rites of that church. During his confinement
he devoted a great part of his time to his reli
gious duties, aud never seemed to indulge in
the hope of obtaining a pardon at the hands of
the government..
He was visited by a number of his friends with
in the past week, and his mother, too, was with
him a day or two before he died. She had come
on from Virginia for the purpose of bidding
him a last farewell, and it was at her solicita
tion that the reprieve was granted, which pre
vented (he execution from taking place sooner.
After describing the departure from the cell,
the procession to the scaffold, the reading of the
lengthy order from Gen. Dix, confirming the
finding of the court-mart ill, lb. * Herald’closes
its account of the last moment, of the viatim as
follows :
During the reading of the abovo order, the
prisoner look a seat, showing that he was some
what tired with the tediuu.-iicss of the form.
Ho was observed to smile once or twice while
Ifie Provost Marshal was recounting his exploits
ou Lake Erie ; but aside from that he maintain
ed his usual self-composure and disregard of
the entire proceedings.
Tlie reading of the document, having been fin
ished, Beall drew himself up, and in a clear
voice exclaimed-—“all J have to say in answer
to this proceeding, is that if is a murder.” The
clergyman who never left- his side fora moment
now offered up a heartfelt prayer for the con
demned at the conclusion of which, the execu
tioner stepped forward and adjusted the fatal
noose.
The I’rovost Marshal then stepped forward,
and addressing the culprit, asked him if he had
anything to say, why the sentence of the Court
should not be put into execution ?
Captain Be. 11—All I have to say is, that the
execution of the sentence is murder—absolute
murder. 1 die in the service and defence of my
country.
The drop was thou pulled asunder, and Beall
hung for twenty minutes and was pronounced
j dead.
1
The Dying Indian Boy.
1 found him dying of consumption, and iu a
state of the most awful poverty and destitution,
itr-a smaii bitch-rind covered hut, with nothing
but a few fern leaves under him, nnd an old
blanket, over him. After recovering frem my
surprise, I said : “ My poor boy, I am very
sorry to see you in this state; had you lot me
know, you should not have been lying here.”
Lie replied: “It is very little J want now, and
these poor people get it forme; but 1 should
like something softer to lie upon, as my bones
are very sore.” I then ‘asked him concerning
the state of his mind, when he replied, that lie
was very happy ; that,. Jesus Christ, the Lord
of glory, had died to save him, and that he had
the most perfect confidence iu him. Observing
a small Bible under the corner of his blauket,
l said : “Jack, you have a friend there ; I am
glad to see that; I hope you find something
good there.’’ Weak as he was, he raised him
self on liis elbow, held it in his attenuated
band, while a smile played on his countenance,
and slowly spoke, in proeisely tho following
words: “This, sir, is my dear friend. You
gave it me. For a long time 1 read it much,
and often thought of what it told. Last year
1 went to see iny sister at Lake Winnipeg
(about, two hundred miles off), where I re
mained about two mouths. When 1 was half
way back through the Lake, 1 remembered
that 1 had left my Bible behind trie. I directly
turned round, and was nine d>iys by myself,
tossing to and fro, before I could reach the
house ; but I found my friend, and determined
that 1 would not part with it again, and ever
since it has beqn«nenr my breast, and I thought
1 should have buried it with me; but l Lave
thought since I had better give it to you when
I am gone, and it may do souto one else good.”
lie was often interrupted by a sepulchral
cough, and sunk down exhausted. I rtad and
prayed, the hut Lordly affording me room to
be upright, even when kneeling.— Missionary
letter in Bishop of Montreals Journal.
The rose is the queen among flowers—woman
the loveliest of her species—as the rose is among
the flowers, so is she among the sons of men.
The Iron-Clad Bams. _
SIIXSATION IV TAIKBDOM.
Yankee papers are now making considerable
noise over a report that two vessels, powerful
rams, have recently left the port of Bordeaux,
in France, for the Confederate States service.
We publish below an article from the Paris
correspondent of the Nets York Herald , in re
gard to the matter.
Paris, January 2T, 18(55.— 8y a fortunate
accident, I am able to anticipate, I trust in time
to mitigate a great disaster, the most startling
intelligence that has crossed the Atlantic since
the outbreak of the war. This will barely have
reached ycru before two rebel iron-clads will
have left the coast of France for theport ofNew
fork, where they expect to carry the first news
of the expedition. These vessels, which are
admirable sea boats, as one of them has proved
during the recent heavy gales in the North Sea
are of the most formidable description, calcula
ted to resist any artillery in our navy, except
j perhaps, the monitor guns. They will take
j abundant coal for the Atlantic voyage, without
! stopping at the islands ; and armed with Arm
strongs, of the heaviest calibre, as well as an
enormous supply of rockets. No doubt is en
; tertained of their ability to carry with ease the
fortifications in New York harbor, and hold the'
j harbor against any force that could be sent to
the rescue. The city is then to be laid under
| contribution, or, in the event of refusal, to be
fired. The leaders of the expedition, however,
: expect an outbreak in the city itself, and that
| the copperheads will seize the moment of panic
] ;*td confusion, to declare New York independ
| ent, front the Union and the State, and a free
j port.
j To show that Ido not exaggerate the formula
i ble character of tliesS vessels, it is only neees
| sary to name them, as during their construction
1 many oi out naval officers hare inspected them.
I They are known as th« Sphynx aud the Cheops,
\ but on hoiking their flag will be respectively
| called the Stonewall and the Kapidan. You are
I doubtless aware that before the keel of either of
1 these vessels was laid at. Bordeaux the person
: al word of Louis Napoleon w it pledged to their
j delivery, with guns and everything except pow
| dev on board.
Commenting upon the news contained in this
| letter, the Herald says editorially :
The Dano-Kekcl Iron-Clads on their way to
! the American waters —the duty of the govern
| ment. The intelligence that the two rebel Iron
clads had left, or was about to leave tlieFrench
; coast for American waters is confirmed by our
Paris correspondent, whose let ter we publish.
! Our Consul at Liverpool confirms his statement
to the Government, and implicates the Danish
| authorities. It is not unreasonable to expect
I their appearance on our coast almost at 'any
; hour, and the damage they may commit, if our
j men of war and merchant vessels are taken by
1 surprise, will be incalculable. It. is the duty of
; our Government, therefore, promptly, to make
arrangements for their recaption aud capture;
| and furthermore, to seize such of the Danish
j West India possessions as may be calculated to
| imdemnify us for their being permitted to be
| fitted out under the flag of the ©auish Govern--
i ment.
I
j The Yankees Offer Insult to the Memory
J of Washington. —“Be De Kay,” the corres
; pendent of the Constitutionalist, in speaking of
i the statue of Gen. Washington in front of the
| new State House in Columbia, S. C., says:
“The statue of General Washington was de
! faced, the grand old hero alter passing through
! the ordeal of Yankee reverence (?) looking as
| if he had just escaped from an Irish wedding
■or Donrtybrook fair. His nose was broken off,
! eyeß battered, and cane mutilated.”
The same correspondent says the Ursuline
! Convent- was burned, and its inmates driven
j forth into the street—the nuns and pupils
j losing everything. Sherman professed some
regret at this, and by way of palliation offered
tho Sisters the house of Gen. Preston, giving
I them what he called a “stirrup title” to the
| premises. He also proffered assistance, but
| the Mother Superior, who is a sister of the
i lion-hearted Bishop Lynch, spurned indignant
ly bis spurious sympathy.
Os course the barbarous invaders bad no re
| spect for religion, and ail the churches in the
j city were burned, save the Baptist, Presbyte
! l-ian, Episcopal and Catholic.
The Baptist Church was fired several times,
! it being particularly objectionable, as having
j been the scene of the first secession meeting
! ever held in the South. The Presbyterian
; Church was pillaged and greatly defaced in the
j interior. Rev. Dr. rainier, the pastor, who is
both eloquent and courageous, shouldered his
ansi left with our forces.
Eve, according to Milton, kept silence in
Eden to hear her husband talk; There have
been no Eves since.
[For the Army and Navy Herald.]
“ Euthanasia.”
(In sympathy dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. L. B.
Sykei.)
In fancy I’m seeing a narrow bed,
Where a dying man in his youth wsS laid;
The dewy brow and the fading eye
Bespeak to the heart that the loved must die.
Must die ! sad thought; from his native land—
No mothew near, with her soothing hand,
To part from the pale, brave brow the hair
That once o'er her bosom swept soft and fair.
Swept fair and soft to the breeze of Spring,
As gaily lie danced on his youth-spread wing ;
And his bold boy-heart beat rippling chime
To the brooklets’ waves in the Summer time.
“ Tell mother I sighed for her face again.
Her hand to soothe this wearying pain ;
Her tears, and her voice, and her blessed care,
To help me this burden of death to bear.”
But silently forth went the spirit, young—
“Te deum Laudaraus ” the night-winds sung ;
And the sister, all white, by the still couch
there,
Sent up thro' the shadows her soul of prayer.
’Twas a sad'ning sight to behold him die.
The love-light quenched in his sunny eyC;
And the sister, who bending in sorrow there,
Enwreatbing her hand with his sun-burnt hair.
Ah ! quiet and cold lies the stately form
Peaceful and pale in life’s bright dawn :
When scarcely a shadow of want or pain
Across the path of his life had lain.
Then carry him soft to his last sweet rest,'
And pile the damp earth on his pulseless breast!
And turn with your white, wet cheeks away
From Blakford’s, hush! to the mournful day.
“ Our Father iu Heaven ” will help us along
O’er the waters so dark and strong :
O’er the ceaseless, sullen roar,
Till we meet with the lost on the fadeless shore.
1 Voodtnd- Cott.aye, Feb. 28th, 1805.
The Commander-in-chief.
The enemies of President Davis have been rea
dy to fasten all the responsibility of our mili
tary disasters upon him, regardless of the facts.
He has been accused of interfering with the
wishes and programmes of our Generals, caus
ing the failure of campaigns. The invasion of
Pennsylvania by Lee, and its failure—the de
feat cf our army at Missionary Itidge, and
Hood’s late campaign, have all teen cited to
prove, the lack of military genius in President
Davis. Gov. Brown coolly pronounces the mil
itary administration of the President a failure
—and a few of liis organs repeat the verdict.
Is this verdict substantiated by the develop
ments made in official reports and correspond
ence ?
When Gen. Lee came back to Virginia from
bis Pennsylvania campaign, he publicly announ
ced that lie alone was responsible for its incep
tion and failure. When Gen. Hood took leave
of his shattered arfny. at Tupelo, after the late
Tennessee campaign, he said, I aloneam respon
sible for the conception and failure of the en
terprise. In short, although exercising his au
thority as Commander-in-Ckief, the testimony
shows that the President always has yielded to
the opinions and suggestions of distinguished
Generals of the Confederate armies. Late offi
cial correspondence shows that. Gen. Lee has
been consulted and liis views adopted for the
last three years. He is now General-in-Chief
by the creation of the office by Congress and
by the appointment of the President, but he
has virtually occupied the same position dating
at least two years.
Taxed as his mental and physical powers,
-are, the President, in yielding up military
movements te Gen. Lee, does not acknowledge
weakness and lack of power, but shows his
strength of judgment. All that, wo have to
fear now is, that the great Lee will be over
taxed. The populace are too apt to overesti
mate the power of one man. They place all
the responsibilities of the nation upon the
shoulders of one military chieftain, and if he
fails he is damned for uot achieving impossi
bilities. We assert, and feel confident that the
historian of this war will sustain us, that the
politicians and people are responsible for tlie
military disasters of the past two years. Our
Government and military chieftains must be
sustained hy the sentiments of the coun
try, if we hope to succeed iu this coutest,
Selma Dispatch.
The Great Question.
Friend, is the question on tby heart, engraved,
“ What must I do to be forever saved ?” $
Believe in Jesus, is the solo reply ;
Believe in him, and thou shalt never die ;
His precious blood gives pardon, life, and peace; <
Freedom from guilt, and joys that never cease,
Go search the Scriptures, friend, in faith and
prayer;
The Spirit will reveal the Saviour there.
/